we begin with breaking news from southwest washington. hello, i'm j.c. hayward. thank you for joining us. right now metro has suspended blue and orange line service between metro center and

federal center. something fell on the tracks. no injuries have been reported and our andrea mccarren is joining us live now from the plaza with more information. andrea? >> reporter: well, j. c., no injuries but some very frightening moments for metro passengers on the blue and orange lines this morning. a series of explosions at the l'enfant plaza metro stop prompted the evacuation of 300 metro passengers and that led to some emotional reunions. >> we heard some explosions that popped -- i was on the front car. so the explosions went off. we heard about three and then there was an explosion between where the car and the wall was. so the firemen are down there, the metro police and they're taking good care of all the folk and evacuating us. >> reporter: what was doing through your mind? >> we all think about september 11th is you think about your

family and you think about your kids and you know god is with you and he'll never leave you. we had fellowship with everyone on the train and you know we're just grateful. he's the one that i wanted to see and just all my babies tonight and be grateful. >> reporter: we know that some 300 metro train passengers at the l'enfant plaza and other surrounding stops have been safely evacuated. we just spoke with the man who came out of the federal triangle metro stop. he apparently had been promised as well as the other passengers a shuttle bus. however, he says the shuttle bus never arrived. the metro passengers coming out of federal triangle simply started walking to work. now i know for the details on what exactly happened on those train tracks, you have dan with metro. he'll take it over from here but for right now we are live near l'enfant plaza right at the smithsonian metro stop,

andrea mccarren, 9news now. >> that's correct. dan is metro's public information officer. he's on the phone with us right now. thank you for being with us. what caused this situation today? we've been reporting that something fell. what was it? >> caller: that's right. i mean the underlying cause is still going to be under investigation for some time to come. but what we know is that it was a passing orange line train that had a part called a friction ring part of the brake assembly come dislodged and fall to the track bed. that in turn made contact with the electrified third rail which caused the smoke condition. would have caused a loud noise in the tunnel possibly a flash. so i can understand you know the concern from the folks that you just heard from in her story. but it was not an explosion and it was not a fire. and the result of it though was that power had to be brought down on both tracks and that's what's leading to the service disruption we have in place right now. blue and orange line service is temporarily suspended in both

directions between metro center and federal center southwest. we have shuttle bus service that's operating. there are at least nine buses operating in a continuous loop serving every station in that station. but if you can give yourself extra travel time that's good advice. we expect we'll have service restored here probably in the next one to two hours. we're just wrapping up the tunnel inspections now. the train involved that had the part come dislodged is able to be moved under its own power and we will be moving that off the railroad and continue the inspections to continue what happened here. -- understand what happened here. >> all right. let me just say that we heard from some passengers and what concerned them so greatly was the fact that they received no communication from anybody from metro during the situation. can you speak to that? >> caller: well, it really will depend on which train they were on. and we'll want to understand that more clearly ourselves. i've heard some of those reports. on the other hand, i've heard

reports from folks who said they were getting good updates from their train operators. you know in a situation like this if the train operator has to leave the controls and the cab, which would surely be the case here as they walk back to inspect what happened and what fell to the track that that train operator would be away from the microphone and would not have the ability to make on board announcements. that could explain part of it there. >> i see. all right, i want to repeat that you said you are hoping that service will be restored within one to two hours. >> caller: that's right. we don't expect that this will impact the evening commute. >> we thank you so much dan, metro's public information officer. house republicans stand ready to throw aside a senate deal to extend a popular tax cut into the new year. gop leaders say that they want to see the tax cut extended for a full year not just for a few months. tara mergener reports that the decision to vote down the senate plan could trigger a tax

increase for many of us. >> reporter: house lawmakers appear ready to reject a two month extension of the payroll tax credit. >> taken the can -- kicking the downtown the road only introduces more -- down the road only introduces more uncertainty into our economy. >> reporter: but democrats put up a fight. >> is this a christmas present and new year's gift we're going to give to the american people? >> reporter: house speaker john boehner says republicans want to see a full year extension. >> our members do not want to just pump and do a two month short-term fix where we have to come back and do this again. >> reporter: at the center of the debate is a senate compromise that temporarily extends the payroll tax credit and some unemployment benefits through february. this is the third time this year that some house members have walked away leaving lawmakers scrambling to meet a deadline.

>> i don't want to give tea party republicans don't want to give a tax -- payroll tax cut to the middle class. >> reporter: house republicans want senators to come back from their holiday break and negotiate a new deal. but the top senate democrat says no. if lawmakers can't get a bill to the president's desk, the social security tax taken from virtually everyone's paycheck will go up about $20 per week starting new year's day. tara mergener for cbs news, washington. many working americans are fed up with congress. the fact that the senate has left town and house republicans are expected to reject the measure. and all voters and working americans can do is just watch as we get closer to seeing our taxes go up. >> yeah, the frustration level is incredibly high. >> frustration level with congress from 0 to 10, 10 being the highest? >> 11. >> 10. >> between -- somewhere between the 9 and the 10. yeah. easily.

>> it's purely political. and it doesn't make sense. >> they don't have any problems with their health care. they don't have any problems with their pensions. they don't have any problems with their taxes. we elected them to work on our behalf and they just seem to be working on their own behalves. >> the senate is not expected to resume legislative work until january 23rd. one of the businessmen caught up in the jack johnson corruption case will be sentenced later today. mahi admitted to buying untaxed alcohol from prince george's county police officers. mahi then sold the alcohol at his ticktock liquor stores in the county. he faces up to 20 years in prison. court documents show that he tried to bribe johnson to pass legislation favoring liquor store owners. he has already pled guilty to those charges. attorneys for bradley

manning say that the army private should never have had access to classified material. manning is accused of giving classified information to the website wikileaks. manning's preliminary hearing in fort meade in maryland enters the fifth day today. lora baranson is back home now. the peruvian government gave her permission to leave the country with her 2-year-old son for the holidays. she served 15 years in prison for aiding rebel fighters. she was paroled last year. while baranson is supposed to return to peru next month, it is actually doubtful that she will. still to come when 9news now continues, see how generosity from total strangers is helping make the holidays special for some families that are really strapped for cash. and see what happens when a 4-year-old girl is at the

center of a harrowing police chase in los angeles. [ terri ] my husband, hank, was always fun. never took life too seriously. 'til our son was born... that day, he bought life insurance. now, there's no way i could send our boy to college without it. if there was one thing i could say to hank, it'd be "thank you."

you're welcome. hey, hank. [ male announcer ] life insurance you can use while you're still living. you are one lucky lady. mm-hmm. [ male announcer ] learn more from your state farm agent today.

president obama is marking the end of the war in iraq at a special ceremony that is taking place at andrews air force base. these are live pictures that we're looking at right now. we'll see some of the last u.s. troops to come home. the ceremony marks the return of the united states' forces flag that was lowered in baghdad last week. the last american troops pulled out of iraq early sunday morning. nearly 4500 americans have been killed and 32,000 wounded in this war. you see the president extending greetings to special soldiers. and there were some emotional reunions at bwi airport this

morning. 300 airmen returned home from iraq just a few hours ago and of course the families were there to greet them. they were so excited. scott broom will have a complete story coming up on 9news now at 5:00 this evening. dramatic car chase through the streets of los angeles. it was all caught on tape. the suspect suddenly pulls over and gets out of the car holding a little girl. well, that's when police swarmed in, snatched the child, and arrested the man. the little girl is fine. police say that the man is the child's father and he is now in custody. the child is back with her mom. coming up, howard and the forecast. >> and j. c., temperatures have shot into the mid 50s. a little milder than i thought this morning but we'll take it. there's some rain on the way. we'll talk about that but we'll get a break with the look at the current temperatures and this is warm as 56 now in the

baden area. it's only 50 though up north of bladensville and 53 out in centreville and also college park 54. stick around, we've got the full seven day forecast when 9news now at noon returns.

there is a new fad that is sweeping the nation. and it's called "layaway angels." listen to this howard.

people are going to stores, they're randomly picking a layaway account and they're giving money to pay the bill. now four of them were paid off at this k-mart on the eastern shore this past weekend. and workers say it is a huge surprise to the recipients. >> it's usually disbelief at first. they wonder if somebody is pranking them. and then just when it settles in, there's a lot of joy. there's a lot of happiness. >> i love this story. most of the layaway angels look for accounts with toys or childrens' clothing. and most of them choose to remain anonymous. don't you love that story? >> layaway lottery winners there, but really nice that you know people still are stepping up and surprising -- surprising others. >> yeah. i like that. i'm going to surprise you one day. >> that's a good thing, surprise me every day. there's a good surprise at

that. we like a good surprise. in the sense i guess that temperatures got milder than i thought this morning if you were watching 9news now early. i was thinking we'd be near 50. already 55. the sprinkles didn't materialize, without the rain showers or the light sprinkles temperatures able to just inch up a little bit. for the afternoon as we look at the day planner, plenty of clouds and might see a peek of sunshine down south. temperatures slowly dropping from the mid 50s into the upper 40s this evening and then tonight cloudy skies and we'll have of thes down low -- temperatures down low 40s in town and maybe some upper 30s far north of us. but winds easterly oh at about 5 miles per hour. tomorrow the winds turn to the south and that's going to warm us up even more. what's showing up here on radar isn't reaching the grounds but the stuff in pennsylvania, rain, mixing with snow and interstate 80 and along ports of northern ohio as well. that's not going to come close to us because the cold is going to be rhee treating. 45 this morning.

that was kind of like midnight lows or late last night. 30s in the mountains. so this is pretty warm stuff. in facts this pretty close to what our highs should be for this time of year. and right now we've managed to jump to 55. 57 at the pax river naval air station. 50 up in martinsburg and frederick's at 50. 52 winchester and leesburg and culpeper 57 degrees. rather comfortable out there with light winds out of the north and temp 55 and the dew point at 40. a pretty decent day even though it's been cloudy and better than the middle of the country. big thunderstorms in louisiana and coming into tennessee. meanwhile the blizzard is winding down in the plains. some of the snow drifts if colorado, 10 feet -- in colorado, 10 feet with 2 feet of snow reported in northern new mexico. this moisture from the gulf is going to flow toward us. so tomorrow better chance of rain and the mild air? that's also going to return. i think temperatures tomorrow in spots could touch 60.

maybe even morn that a little bit -- more than that a little bit. futurecast for the rest of the afternoon. cloudy to mostly cloudy skies around here. tonight tomorrow morning, 5:45, one batch of rain moving to west central p. a.. scattered showers across our region. middle of the day more rain showers come through. southeastern virginia may get some heavy rains. the scattered showers again for the afternoon and evening. this finally pulls out wednesday night but thursday, well, thursday starts quiet. and by the middle of the day we're looking at some rain into west virginia. or excuse me by 5:45. look what happens thursday night. as the rain comes back on top of us, this will be out of here pretty early on friday. but there's another chance of rain, yes, rain, as we head toward christmas. looks to be maybe a wet, not a white christmas, sorry about that. 55 today. just a sprinkle outside chance up north. tonight 40s. tomorrow upper 50s even some low 60s with periods of rain

and showers. thursday we start dry but some rain before the end of the day maybe. if we don't it will come in thursday night. leave friday morning. saturday looks okay. got a skins' game on christmas eve. 49 that's at home and sunday christmas day, 42 and wet and then maybe a flurry or snow shower in the mountains on monday. oh, we've got a treat for you in the kitchen. smells great in here. stick around, 9news now at noon returns in just a moment. [ female announcer ] more people are using wireless devices...

in more ways than ever. and our networks are getting crowded. but if congress frees up more wireless spectrum... we can empower more people to innovate... putting momentum behind our economy. and we can reduce the deficit... with more than thirty billion dollars paid by america's wireless companies.

it's simple -- more spectrum means more freedom. for everyone.

it has been a favorite of georgetown's for decades. i'm talking about the restaurant 1789. they have a new fabulous executive chef. he is with me. his name is anthony lambardo and actually, he has been in washington before. you were at galileo's. >> i was there, yes. >> you were at four five star restaurants in italy. you have lots of experience, so happy to have you back at 1789 one of my favorite restaurants with the hunt country charm and private rooms that you can entertain. >> beautiful restaurant. >> it, is but listen, i don't know what you're preparing but -- >> i'm making some frittatas for christmas morning when you wake up on the 25th and you're hungry? it's easy. you want some eggs and protein. something easy you can assemble in a couple overmines. that's who we are wine -- of minutes. that's what we're doing. we have some eggs and scallions

and onions and the red and green for christmas. we're mixing the eggs, the bread and some cheese and the recipe is going to be online. >> on jchayward.com. so you can make it. >> aged provolone cheese here and we're mixing it up nice. just adding -- you don't want it to be all egg. a nice vegetable garnish kind of feel. this one we actually have some bacon into. add it and season it a little bit. add it to the pan. >> okay, now you already have -- you were sauteeing that. in oil. >> and butter actually. >> oh my kind of man. butter! i love butter. okay. and you just pour the egg on top. >> and you want to kind of -- you want to see the white come around on the ends. that mean it's cooking and sealing the crust. then put it in the oven. >> what temperature do you want your oven? >> 350. >> about 350. and how long does it have to stay in the oven? >> about 15 minutes. >> that's all? the goal you're trying to achieve is you want the eggs to go in and out without kind of

making -- you don't want to see the runny eggs. >> make sure it's cooked all the way through. that's a finished one? >> a couple of finishes oned here. >> so you'll be serving this of course at the restaurant. >> no, this is just kind of like something easy to make on your own. >> really? >> if you come in j. c. we'll take care of you. >> you'll fix it for me? you have one right here and gosh, i'm going to try it because it looks -- it seems so easy the way you did it. >> it's very easy. it's literally foolproof. >> you can put all kinds of things in there, you put close in this one with pepper. >> on christmas morning, you want to empty your fridge out. whatever stuff you have that you've been wanting to use, cut it up and put it in the pan and make a frittata. >> i'm ready to take him home with me. forget about 1789. >> the frittatas are here, i used a make a bunch of these for my wife when she was pregnant and you can dump them

in and have some fun with it. be creative. >> you don't do it now? >> she doesn't ask me now. i'd make her a frittata. >> thank you chef. welcome back to washington. >> thank you very much. >> 1789 on 36th street northwest. fabulous, great tasting. come back and visit us at 5:00. [ captions by: caption colorado, llc 800-775-7838 email: comments@captioncolorado.com ]